Kia Sorento SUV recalled for headlight, taillight failure

Kia is recalling 74,469 Sorento midsize crossover SUVs because of a software issue that could lead to failure of the low-beam headlights and taillights, the NHTSA disclosed Monday.

A software logic error in the body domain control unit in the affected vehicles can cause temporary loss of exterior lighting under certain circumstances, according to the NHTSA. Even a temporary loss of headlight or taillight illumination can reduce visibility for the driver, as well as make the vehicle less visible to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.

The recall covers non-hybrid 2024 and 2025 Kia Sorento models, as well as 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid and Sorento PHEV models. These are refreshed versions that received, among other things, updated exterior styling with different headlights, although Kia has determined that the fault is with software rather than this new hardware.

The refresh was applied to non-hybrid models for 2024, and hybrids and plug-in hybrid variants the following model year. The related Hyundai Santa Fe got a much more extensive glow-up during this period, and gained third-row seats that were previously available only in the Sorento, but lost its plug-in hybrid powertrain option in the process.

Kia told the NHTSA that it is unaware of any crashes, injuries, and fatalities related to this issue, and the remedy is a software update that will be performed for free by dealers. Any customers who have spent their own money on fixes will be reimbursed by Kia.

Owner notification letters are scheduled to go out Feb. 21. Owners can also contact Kia’s customer service department at 1-800-333-4542 or visit Kia’s recall hub for more information. Kia’s reference number for this recall is SC331.